TS 1580 
.M4 
Copy 1 



v..nTED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

BULLETIN No. 990 

— ^■-— >— ^ Contribution from the Bureau of Markets and Crop Estimates . 

S^^^^^U H. C. TAYLOR, Chief ^^^^ 





Washington, D.C. 



PROFESSIONAL PAPER 



October 20, 1921 



PRELIMINARY MANUFACTURING TESTS OF THE OF- 
FICIAL COTTON STANDARDS OF THE UNITED STATES 
FOR COLOR FOR UPLAND TINGED AND STAINED 
COTTON. 

By W. R. Meadows, Cotton Technologist, and W. G. Blair, Specialist ifi Cotton 

Testing. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 

Grades of cotton tested 1 

Origin of cotton used 1 

Mechanical conditions 2 

Percentages of waste 3 

Moisture determinations 4 



fage. 

Strength of yarns 5 

Manufacturing properties 6 

Bleaching properties 6 

Summary 11 



GRADES OF COTTON TESTED. 

The spinning tests ^ herein described were conducted to determine 

the relative values of the f olloAving grades of cotton : 

Low Middling L.M. 

Good Middling Yellow Tinged G.M.T.T. 

Middling Yellow Tinged M.Y.T. 

Low Middling Yellow Tinged L.M.Y.T. 

Good Middling Yellow Stained G.M.Y.S. 

Middling Yellow Stained M.Y.S. 

Good Middling Blue Stained G.M.B.S. 

Middling Blue Stained M.B.S. 

ORIGIN OF COTTON USED. 

The cotton for these tests was purchased by expert cotton classers 
of the Bureau of Markets for use in the preparation of the Official 
Cotton Standards of the United States for color for Upland tinged 
and stained cotton. 



1 This cotton was classed by members of the committee autJiorized to hear disputes 
under the provisions of the United States cotton futures act. The spinning tests were 
conducted in the textile department of the North Carolina State College of Agriculture 
and Engineering, under the general direction of W. R. Meadows, cotton technologist, and 
were made by W. G. dlair, specialist in cotton testing, assisted by C. E. Folk, E. S. Cum- 
mings, and H. B. Richardson, assistants in cotton testing, and E. F. Upton, formerly 
assistant in cotton testing. 



55812°— 21— Bull. 990- 



BULLETIN 990, IT. S. DEPAETMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Upon receipt of this cotton in Washington it was again classed and 
stapled and only typical bales of each grade were included in the 
final selection. By using this selection, the bulk of the qiff-colored 
cottons from the various districts of the cotton belt were included. 

Table 1 shows the grade, weight, number of bales, length, and 
character of staple, point of origin, and the year in which the cotton 
was grown. 

Table 1. — Stock selected for spinning test on colored cotton. 



Grade. 


Weight. 


Staple 
length. 


Character of 
staple. 


Origin. 


Crop. 


Remarks. 


L.M 


Pounds. 
126 
100 
115 
140 


Inch. 
15/16 
15/16 
15/16 
15/16 

15/16 
15/16 
15/16 
15/16 
15/16 

7/8 
15/16 
15/16 
15/16 
15/16 

15/16 
15/16 
15/16 
15/16 

1 

1 

15/16 

15/16 

1 

15/16 

15/16 
15/16 

7/8 

15/16 
7/8 


Mediimi 

Medium 

Medium 

Medium 

Medium 

Medium 

Medium 

Medium 

Medium 

Medium 

Medium 

Medium 

Medium 

Medium 

Medium .... 

Medium 

Medium 

Medium..... 

Medium 

Medium 

Medium 

Medium 

Medium 

Medium^ 

Medium 

Medium 

Medium 

Medium 

Medium 

Medium to 
hard. 


Little Rock, Ark 

Bay City, Tex 

New York, N.Y 

Atlanta, Ga 


Year. 
1919-20 
191^20 
1917-18 
1919-20 

1917-18 
1917-18 
1917-18 
1917-18 
1917-18 

1917-18 
1917-18 
1917-18 
1917-18 
1917-18 

1918-19 
1916-17 
1918-19 
1918-19 

1918-19 
1918-19 
1917-18 

1918-19 
1918-19 
1918-19 

1918-19 
1918-19 
1918-19 

1918-19 
1917-18 
1915-16 


Full on grade. 

Shy because of pin leaf. 






Atlanta, Ga 






481 




G.M.Y.T 


60 
60 
60 
60 
60 






Atlanta, Ga 






Atlanta, Ga 






Atlanta, Ga. . . . 






Little Rock 






Unknown 






300 




M.Y.T 


40 
60 
60 
60 
60 












Atlanta, Ga 






Savannah, Ga 

Memphis, Tenn 

Memphis, Tenn 

Chattanooga, Tenn 

Oklahoma City 

Savannah, Ga.. 






280 




L.M.Y.T 


87 
105 
80 
40 

312 


Full 15/16 inch. 




Memphis, Tenn 

Atlanta, Ga 




G.M.Y.S 


100 
106 
60 


15/16 to 1 inch fuU. 




Memphis, Tenn 

Memphis, Tenn 

Memphis, Tenn 

Atlanta, Ga. 




266 




M.Y.S 


133 

84 
30 


FuU inch. 
Somewhat gin-cut. 




Macon, Ga 


G.M.B.S 


247 

no" 

95 
52 






Greensboro, N . C 

Augusta, Ga 






Greensboro, N. C 

Augusta, Ga 






257 




M.B.S 


105 
100 
107 

312 






Memphis, Tenn 





MECHANICAL CONDITIONS. 

The different bales of each grade of cotton were arranged around 
the hopper bale breaker in a semicircle. A layer from each bale was 
taken in rotation and placed in the hopper. 



LIBRARY Of CONGRESS 



' MANUFACTURING TESTS OF COTTON STANDARDS. 3 

Each grade was opened during the afternoon, the opened cotton 
being placed in a bin and allowed to age overnight. It was not 
considered necessary to allow the cotton to age for a longer period 
because all the ties except two had been removed upon receipt of the 
cotton two months previously. 

Preliminary tests were made on the cleaning machines, Low Mid- 
dling cotton being used until the visible waste was approximately 
equal to that removed during the previous tests.^ This was done 
in order that the merits of the several grades of white and colored 
cottons might be put as nearly as possible on a comparative basis. 

The same mechanical conditions were maintained for all grades 
throughout the test. 

The relative humidity in the carding and spinning rooms was 
maintained as nearly as possible between 60 and 65 per cent during 
the entire test. 

PERCENTAGES OF WASTE. 

Accurate records were kept of the net amount of cotton fed to 
each cleaning machine, the amount of each kind of waste discarded, 
and the weight of the finished product. 

The waste percentages calculated from the above items are shown 
in Table 2. 



Table 2. — Percentages of waste from the differe 


nt grades of cotton tested. 


Character of waste. 


White. 


YeUow Tinged. 


Yellow stained. 


Blue Stained. 


L.M. 


G.M.Y.T. 


M.Y.T 


L.M.Y.T. 


G.M.Y.S. 


M.Y.S. 


G.M.B.S. 


M.B.S. 


PICKER WASTE .0 

Opener-breaker motes and fly 
Finisher motes and fly 


Per ct. 
1.63 

.83 


Per cent. 
1.00 
.50 


Perct. 
1.20 
.64 


Per cent. 
1.87 
1.17 


Per cent. 

0.81 

.50 


Per ct. 

0.86 

.97 


Per cent. 
1.36 

.68 


Perct. 
2.08 
1.30 


Total visible 


2.46 
2.93 


1.50 
.99 


1.84 
1.17 


3.04 
1.12 


1.31 
.25 


1.83 
1.50 


2.04 
.25 


3.38 
1.70 


Invisible 




Total visible and invisi- 
ble 


5.39 


2.49 


3.01 


4.16 


1.56 


3.33 


2.29 


5.08 




CARD WASTE.6 

Flat strippings 


2.57 
.62 

2.81 
.11 


2.88 
.97 

1.65 
.17 


3.32 
1.12 
2.02 
.11 


3.53 

1.16 

4.34 

.31 


2.64 
1.13 
1.68 
.18 


3.93 
1.56 
3.57 
.17 


2.57 
.75 

1.82 
.18 


2.98 
.96 

3.25 
.14 


Cylinder and dofler strippings 
Motes and fly 






Total visible... 


6.11 

.28 


5.67 
c 1.24 


6.57 
C.79 


9.34 
.22 


5.63 

.82 


9.23 

.89 


5.32 
1.78 


7.33 
.66 


Invisible 




Total visible and invisi- 
ble 


6.39 

8.23 
3.20 


4.43 


5.78 


9.56 


6.45 


10. 12 


7.10 


7.99 




THROUGH CARDS.a 

Total visible 


7.04 
C.22 


8.21 
.40 


11.99 
1.33 


6.85 
1.06 


10.75 
2.36 


7.24 
1.99 


10.24 
2.33 


Total invisiWe .. 




Total visible and invisi- 
ble. . 


11.43 


6.82 


8.61 


13.32 


7.91 


13.11 


9.23 


12.57 





a Based upon net weight fed to bale breaker. b Based upon net weight fed to cards. c Gain. 
2 See U. S. Department vf Agriculture Bulletin 591 : Manufacturing Tests of the Official Cotton 
Standards for Grade, by William S. Dean and Fred Taylor. 1917. 



BULLETIN 990, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The visible waste discarded by a cleaning machine can be governed 
by the settings used on that machine. 

The invisible waste can not be governed with any degree of accu- 
racy, since it depends upon the grade and character of the cotton 
and the relative humidity at the time the cotton is run. Table 2 
shows that there was a large invisible loss on the grade of Low 
Middling on the pickers. This loss is partly accounted for by the 
low relative humidity and high temperature existing while this grade 
was being run. (See Table 3.) 

Table 3. — Average temperature and relative humidity in picker and card room. 



Room. 


L.M. 


G.M.Y.T. 


M.Y.T. 


L.M.Y.T. 


G.M.Y.S. 


M.Y.S. 


G.M.B.S. 


M.B.S, 


Pickers: 

Average temperature 

Average relative liumid- 
ity 


81 
45 
81 
63 


°F. 
85 

69 

81 
73 


°F. 
86 

70 

81 

75 


°F. 
90 

60 

84 

69 


°F. 

85 

65 
79 
68 


^F. 
79 

62 

81 
64 


°F. 

77 

65 

80 
71 


°F. 

88 

61 


Cards: 

Average temperature 

Average relative humid- 
ity 


91 
63 







All grades except G.M.Y.S., M.Y.S. , and M.B.S. stood overnight between the pickers and thecards. 

If the total percentages of waste are used as a basis of value the 
following order is obtained : 

(1) Good Middling Yellow Tinged; (2) Good Middling Yellow 
Stained; (3) Middling Yellow Tinged; (4) Good Middling Blue 
Stained; (5) Low Middling; (6) Middling Blue Stained; (7) Mid- 
dling Yellow Stained; (8) Low Middling Yellow Tinged. 

MOISTURE DETERMINATIONS. 

Samples of each grade of cotton were taken at each machine or 
process, weighed on a sensitive equal-arm balance, placed in air-tight 
cans, and shipped to Washington, dried to absolute dryness, and 
rew^eighed on equally sensitive balances. The moisture content of 
each sample was then calculated. The results are shown in Table 4. 

The low humidity conditions noted on the pickers while the Low 
Middling grade was being run are checked by the moisture content 
of the samples taken at this process. 

Table 4. — Percentages of moisture'^ in the cotton of the different grades at 
various points in the cotton-manufacturing processes. 



Sample. 


L.M. 


G.M.Y.T. 


M.Y.T. 


L.M.Y.T. 


G.M.Y.S. 


M.Y.S. 


G.M.B.S. 


M.B.S. 


Raw cotton from bale breaker 

Lap from opener-breaker lap- 

per 


Perct. 
5.59 

4.17 
4.17 
5.04 
6.21 
8.51 
6.67 


Per cent. 
7.47 

8.28 
8.64 
8.17 
7.64 
6.78 
6.49 


Perct. 
6.55 

7.58 
7.70 
6.89 
7.47 
6.83 
5.99 


Percent. 

6.78 

6.72 
6.61 
6.44 
6.21 
6.78 
7.24 


Per cent. 

7.18 

7.47 
7.53 
6.95 
7.24 
7.00 
6.04 


Perct. 
7.75 

6.95 
7.41 
6.49 
7.18 
6.38 
6.38 


Per cent. 
6.44 

6.67 
6.49 
6.38 
6.61 
5.26 
5.54 


Perct. 
6.72 

6 67 


Lap from finisher picker 

Sliver from cards. 


• 5.88 
5 71 


Sliver from finisher drawing. . 

Roving from fine frame 

22'syarn 


5.93 
5.76 
5 76 







Percentages expressed as "regain. 



MANUFACTURING TESTS OF COTTOX STANDARDS. 



STRENGTH OF YARNS. 

Each grade of cotton was spun into 22's yarn. The turns per inch 
inserted were 19.9, 21.1, and 22.3, using twist multipliers of 4.25, 
4.50, and 4.T5, respectively. 

In the cotton-testing laboratory at Washington each grade and 
twist was reeled into skeins of 120 yards and broken under constant 
relative humidity conditions of 65 per cent at 70° F. 

Table 5. — Comparing the breaking strength of 22's yarn with different ttvists. 



Twist multiplier. 


Turns 

per 

inch. 


L.M. 


G.M.Y.T. 


M.Y.T. 


L.M.Y.T. 


G.M.Y.S. 


M.Y.S. 


G.M.B.S. 


M.B.S. 


4 2.5... 


19.9 
21.1 
22.3 


Pounds. 
79.9 
81.3 
77.3 


Pounds. 

84.2 
85.7 
81.9 


Pounds. 
89.0 

88.5 
82.6 


Pounds. 
79.1 
81.2 
77.2 


Pounds. 
83.4 
87.2 
82.6 


Pounds. 
82.1 
82.9 
77.1 


Pounds. 
76.1 
76.6 
73.2 


Pounds. 
75.8 
79.5 
77 5 


4.50 


4.75 







Table 5 shows that the yarn of each grade spun with the twist 
multiplier of 4.50 was the strongest. This fact is very important 
because the twist multiplier of 4.75 is usually used as a standard for 
warp yarns wdiere strength is required. There is one exception to the 
above fact ; in the case of the Middling Yellow Tinged the strongest 
break per skein was obtained with a twist multiplier of 4.25. This 
difference, however, is so small that it is scarcely to be considered. 

The yarn with 21.1 turns per inch, or the 4.50 twist multiplier, 
broke on an average 2.05 per cent stronger than that with 19.9 turns 
per inch, or 4.25 twist multiplier, and 5.32 per cent stronger than that 
with 22.3 turns per inch, or the 4.75 twist multiplier. 

Comparing the breaking strengths of the yarns w^ith the same 
twist, there appears to be no definite relationship between the strength 
of the yarn and the grade of the cotton from which it is spun. 

Arranging the grades in the order of their strength values, a 
slightly different order is observed than when they are arranged in 
the order of their waste values, the order of strength values being 
Middling Yellow Tinged, Good Middling Yellow Stained, Good 
Middling Yellow Tinged, Middling Yellow Stained, Low Middling, 
Low Middling Yellow Tinged, Middling Blue Stained, and Good 
Middling Blue Stained. 

The breaking strength of the yarn was also tested by the single- 
strand method. The results of these tests are shown in Table 6 and 
indicate a slight difference in the relationship between the strength 
of the different grades from that found in the skein tests. 
55812°— 21— Bull. 990 2 



6 BULLETIN 900, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGKICULTUKE. 

Table 6. — Average breaking strength in ounces of single strands from 22's yarn. 
{Twist multipliers 4-25, JfMO, and JjSto.) 



Twist multiplier. 


L.M. 


G.M.Y.T. 


M.Y.T. 


L.M.Y.T. 


G.M.Y.S. 


M.Y.S. 


G.M.B.S. 


M.B.S. 


4.25 


Ounces. 
10.4 
10.4 
10.6 


Ounces. 
11.0 
11.1 
11.4 


Ounces. 
11.2 
11.9 
11.2 


Ounces. 
11.1 
11.0 
10.7 


Ounces. 
11.8 
11.1 
11.8 


Ounces. 
11.0 
10.4 
10.5 


Ounces. 
10.0 
10.5 
9.9 


Ounces. 
10.2 


4.50 . . .. 


10.9 


4.75 


10.7 







MANUFACTURING PROPERTIES. 

On opening the several grades the Middling Yellow Stained and 
Low Middling Yellow Tinged gave off a considerable amount of 
du^t. No noticeable feature was encountered in running the other 
grades through the pickers. 

On the cards the Middling Yellow Stained and Low Middling 
Yellow Tinged gave off considerable fly at stripping time. These 
grades were followed in order by Good Middling Yellow Stained, 
Middling Blue Stained, and Middling Yellow Tinged. The re- 
maining grades had the usual amount of fly. During a 10-hour day 
on a commercial basis the cards would have to be stripped four 
times for the Middling Yellow Stained and Low Middling Yellow 
Tinged; three times on the Good Middling Yellow Stained, Mid- 
dling Blue Stained, and Middling Yellow Tinged; and twice a day 
on the Good Middling Blue Stained, Low Middling, and Good Mid- 
dling Yellow Tinged. 

A large amount of trash and fly collected on the roller beams of 
the roving frames and spinning frame. The largest amount was 
noticed on the Middling Yellow Stained and Low Middling Yellow 
Tinged, followed in order by Good Middling Yellow Stained, Mid- 
dling Blue Stained, Middling Yellow Tinged, Good Middling Blue 
Stained, Low Middling, and Good Middling Yellow Tinged. 

On the spinning frame the only grade that gave any trouble was the 
Good Middling Blue Stained. The other grades would go a full 
doff without more than one or two ends breaking down, whereas 
the Good Middling Blue Stained had about twice as many down 
in the same time. 

The Middling Yellow Stained yarn contained a considerable 
amount of leafy trash. 

BLEACHING PROPERTIES. 

Bleaching and dyeing tests were made in the textile department 
of the North Carolina State College of Agriculture and Engineer- 
ing and under commercial conditions in a bleachery at Providence, 
R. I. 

The three different twists of 22's yarn made from each grade 
were tested. 



MANUFACTURING TESTS OF COTTON STANDARDS. 7 

TEXTILE SCHOOL TESTS. 

Bleaching : 

Scouri7ig. — The yam was washed in cold water for 15 minutes, 
after which it was boiled in a 2-degree Twaddle solution of caustic 
soda for 7 hours. It was then washed twice in cold water and 
hydroextr acted. 

Chemicking. — The yarn was bleached in a l|-degree Twaddle 
chlorine solution for 2 hours. It was then washed for 30 minutes 
in cold water and hydroextracted. 

Souring. — The yarn was soured for \\ hours in a l^-degree Twad- 
dle solution of sulphuric acid and then washed in cold water until 
free from chlorine. 

Soaping. — The yarn was soaped in a solution of 5 per cent Solvay 
soda and 0.012 per cent methylene blue, which was heated to 160° F. 
It was then washed in hot water at 120° F., then in cold water, 
hydroextracted and dried. 

The best bleach was obtained on Good Middling Yellow Tinged, 
followed in order by Good Middling Yellow Stained, Low Middling, 
and Middling Yellow Stained, each of which gave a good commercial 
white. The other four grades did not give a satisfactory white. The 
Middling Yellow Tinged and Low Middling Yellow Tinged had a 
bluish appearance, while the Good Middling Blue Stained and 
Middling Blue Stained had a decided slaty or bluish cast. The 
Middling Blue Stained came out the poorest white of all the grades 
tested, the bleaching process having practically no effect upon the 
blue color of this grade. The greatest improvement was noticed in 
the case of Middling Yellow Stained, this grade having a deep yellow 
color and considerable trash before bleaching. After processing, this 
grade had the fourth best white and in addition had lost most of its 
trash. A trial test was made on the blue stains by putting them 
through the bleaching solution and acid a second time. Their white- 
ness was not improved by this double bleach. 

Dyeing: 

Tests were made on the eight grades by dyeing them with direct 
colors — pink and blue. 

Pink. — The bleached yarn was dyed Avith the following formula: 
0.5 per cent amidine fast pink, 6 per cent Glauber's salt, and 2 per 
cent Solvay soda. The yarn was treated in this bath for 30 minutes 
at 140° F., washed in warm water (120° F.) , rinsed in cold water, and 
dried. 

The best pinks were obtained on the grades that gave the best 
bleach. The best pink was obtained on the Good Middling Yellow 
Tinged, followed in order by Good Middling Yellow Stained, Low 
Middling, Middli{^g Yellow Stained, Middling Yellow Tinged, Low 



8 



BULLETIN 900, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Middling Yellow Tinged, Good Middling Blue Stained, and Mid- 
dling Blue Stained. 

Blue. — The bleached yarn was dyed with the following formula: 
2 per cent brilliant fast blue 2G, 0.5 per cent Pluto Black 5 P. S. 
Extra, 10 per cent Glauber's salt, and 2 per cent Solvay soda. The 
yarn was treated in this bath for 1 hour at 180° F., washed in warm 
water (120° F.), and then in cold water and dried. 

Good blues were obtained on all the grades, with very little differ- 
ence in depth of color. 
Breaking strength of bleached and dyed yarns: 

Single-strand tests were made of the gray, bleached, and dyed 
yarns to determine the effect of bleaching and dyeing on the strength 
of the yarns. The results of these tests are shown in Table 7. To 
put the results on a commercial basis, different skeins were used in 
the gray, bleached, and dyed tests. 



Table 7. — Average breaking strength in ounces of single strands from gray 
bleached, and dyed yarn spun from the different grades of cotton. {Textile 
School Test.) 



Yarn. 



4.25 »/22: 

Gray 

Bleached.. 

Dyed pink 

Dved blue. 
4.50 >/22: 

Gray 

Bleached . . 

Dyed pink 

Dyed blue. 
4.75 »/22: 

Gray 

Bleached.. 

Dyed pink 

Dyed blue 



L.M. 



Ounces 
10.4 

9.4 
10.3 

9.4 

10.4 
10.4 
10.0 
10.1 

10.6 
9.7 

10.1 
9.3 



G.M. 
Y.T. 



Ounces. 
11.0 
12.0 
10.5 
11.4 

11.1 
12.0 
11.9 
11.9 

11.4 
8.7 
11.2 
10.7 



M.Y.T. 



Ounces. 
11.2 
10.5 
11.1 
10.6 

11.9 
10.9 
10.0 
10.8 

11.2 
11.6 
10.4 
11.0 



L.M. 
Y.T. 



Ounces. 
11.1 
11.3 
10.1 

8.7 

11.0 
10.2 
10.1 
9.6 

10.7 
11.4 

9.6 



G.M. 
Y.S. 



Ounces. 
11.8 
12.2 
11.6 
11.0 

11.1 
11.7 
11.0 
10.7 

11.8 
11.8 
10.7 
10.7 



M.Y.S. 



Ounces. 
11.0 
11.9 
12.2 
10.4 

10.4 
9.8 
12.0 
11.5 

10.5 
12.0 
10.5 
10.9 



G.M. 
B.S. 



Ounces. 

10.0 

10.9 

11.3 

9.6 

10.5 
9.0 
9.7 

10.1 

9.9 
9.2 
9.3 
10.2 



M.B.S. 



Ounces. 

10.2 

9.4 

10.0 

10.0 

10.9 
10.4 
9.6 
9.2 

10.7 
9.5 
9.5 
9.4 



Aver- 
age. 



Ounces. 
10.84 
10.95 
10. 89 
10.14 

10.91 
10.55 
10 48 
10.49 

10 85 
10.49 
10.16 
10.26 



MILL TEST.3 

Tests were made ai a bleaching and dyeing plant to giA^e results 
under commercial conditions. Both the chlorine and peroxide 
bleaches were tried on all the different grades. 
Chlorine bleach: 

Scouring. — ^The yarn was first washed in cold water and boiled for 
2 hours in a solution of 2 per cent caustic soda and 1 per cent Turkey 
Red Oil.* . It was then washed in cold water. 

Souring. — The yarn was soured in 1 per cent hydrochloric acid for 
one-half hour and then washed in cold water. 



3 These tests were made in a mill at Providence, R. I. The tests were conducted by 
Chris. E. Folk, assistant in cotton testing. Valuable assistance was rendered by E. S. 
Graves, general manager, and W. A. Traver, superintendent of the mills. 

*AI1 percentages are based on weight of the goods being bleached. 



MANUFACTUEIITG TESTS OF COTTON STANDARDS. 9 

Chemiching. — The yam was bleached in a 1^-degree Twaddle 
chlorine solution for 2 hours and washed in cold water. 

Wash. — The yarn was washed in 2 per cent bisulphite of soda for 
one-half hour — cold. It was then washed in warm water (160° F.) 
for 10 minutes and then in cold water and dried. 

Fair whites were obtained on two grades only, when using this 
bleach, namely Good Middling Yellow Tinged and Low Middling. 

Double-boil chlorine bleach: 

The time of boiling with the caustic soda was doubled over the 
time used in first chlorine bleach to see if the length of time in the boil 
affected the whites obtained. The yarn was boiled for 2 hours in a 
solution of 2 per cent caustic soda and 1 per cent Turkey Red Oil, after 
which it was drawn off and a new solution of the same strength was 
put into the machine and the boiling continued 2 hours longer. The 
yarn was then soured and bleached in the same manner as in the first 
chlorine bleach. 

A good commercial white was obtained on Good Middling Yellow 
Tinged, Lfow Middling, and Good Middling Yellow Stained under 
these conditions. 

Peroxide bleach: 

ScouHng. — The yarn was first washed in cold water and then boiled 
one-half hour in a solution of 2 per cent Turkey Red Oil, then washed 
in cold water. 

. Bleaching. — The yarn was bleached in the solution shown below : 
7^ gallons of water. 
5f ounces sulphuric acid. 
4f ounces sodium peroxide. 
4| ounces sodium silicate. 
This solution was kept at 180° F. and run until exhausted. It 
was tested ever}^ 10 minutes and found to be exhausted in IJ hours. 
The yarn was then rinsed in cold water. 

Wash. — The yarn was washed in three different warm waters — 
the first at 120° F., the second at 100° F., and the third at 90° F. 
It was then washed in cold water and dried. 

Good Middling Yellow Tinged and the Low Middling were the 
only grades that gave fair whites. 

Double peroxide bleach: 

The yarn was treated in the same manner as the first peroxide 
bleach except that the time was doubled in the bleaching, a fresh 
solution being made up when the first was exhausted. 

Good commercial whites were obtained on Good Middling Yellow 
Tinged, Low Middling, and Good Middling Yellow Stained. 



10 



BULLETIN 9^, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Dyeing: 

Tests were made on the eight grades by dyeing the yarns with vat 
colors — pink and bkie. 

Pink. — The bleached yarn was dyed with the following formula : 
2 per cent penetrol, 2-J per cent caustic soda, 2| per cent hydrosul- 
phite, and 4 per cent indanthrene Bed B. N. It was dyed at 120° F., 
and run for 45 minutes, then washed in hot water and dried. The 
best pinks were obtained on the grades giving the best bleach. The 
best pink was obtained on Good Middling Yellow Tinged, followed 
in order by Low Middling, Good Middling Yellow Stained, Middling 
Yellow Stained, Middling Yellow Tinged, Low Middling Yellow 
Tinged, Good Middling Blue Stained, and Middling Blue Stained. 

Blue. — The bleached yarn was dyed with the following formula : 2 
per cent penetrol, 8i per cent caustic soda, 8J per cent hydrosulphite 
and 12 per cent indanthrene G. C. D. blue. The yarn was dyed at 120° 
F. for 45 minutes, then washed for 10 minutes in hot water (160° F.), 
then in cold water and dried. Good blues were obtained on all the 
grades, there being very little difference in depth of color. 

Breaking strength of bleached and dyed yarns: 

Single-strand strength tests were made of the gray, bleached, and 
dyed yarns to determine the effect of the bleaching and dyeing proc- 
esses. The results of these tests are shown in Table 8. In order 
to put the results on a commercial basis, different skeins were used 
on the gray, bleached, and dyed tests. 

Table 8. — Breaking -strength in ounces of single strands from gray, Meached,^ 
and dyed yam spun from the different grades of cotton. {Mill test.) 



Yam. 


L.M. 


G.M. 
Y.T. 


M.Y.T. 


L.M. 
Y.T. 


G.M. 

Y.S. 


M.Y.S. 


G.M. 

B.S. 


M.B.S. 


Aver- 
age. 




Double boil chlorine. 


Double x)eroxide. 


4.25-5/22: 

Gray 


Ounces. 
10.4 
10.4 
10.4 
10.4 


Ounces. 
11.0 
11.5 
11.1 
11.9 


Ounces. 
11.2 
12.1 
11.1 
11.1 


Ounces. 
11.1 
10.7 
11.0 
10.8 


Ounces. 
11.8 
13.0 
12.4 
11.3 


Ounces. 
11.0 
12.6 
11.7 
12.0 


Ounces. 
10.0 
11.0 
11.1 
10.0 


Ounces. 
10.2 
11.4 
10.9 
9.8 


Ounces. 
10.84 


Bleached 


11.59 


Pink 


11.21 


Blue 


10.91 








Single peroxide. 


4.50 >/22: 

Gray 


10.4 
9.7 
10.0 
10.2 


11.1 
12.4 
12.9 
11.6 


11.9 
11.8 
11.5 
12.0 


11.0 
10.7 
11.2 
11.7 


11.1 
13.3 
11.1 
11.4 


10.4 
12.4 
12.4 
11.8 


10.5 
10.0 
10.8 
9.9 


10.9 
9.7 
10.9 
11.0 


10.91 


Bleached . . 


11.25 


Pink 


11.35 


Blue 


11.20 








Single chlorine. 


4.75 ^22: 
Gray 


10.6 
11.6 
10.7 
10.9 


11.4 
11.8 
11.4 
11.7 


11.2 
12.6 
10.9 
11.4 


10.7 
11.9 
10.6 
10.3 


11.8 
11.4 
11.9 
10.1 


10.5 
11.4 
10.5 
10.8 


9.9 
10.0 
10.5 

9.5 


10.7 
11.0 
10.5 
10.2 


10. 85 


Bleached 


11.46 


Pink 


10.88 


Blue 


10.62 







MANUFACTUKING TESTS OF COTTON STANDARDS. 



SUMMARY. 



11 



Low Middling, Good Middling Yellow Tinged, Middling Yellow 
Tinged, Low Middling Yellow Tinged, Good Middling Yellow 
Stained, Middling Yellow Stained, Good Middling Blue Stained, 
and Middling Blue Stained cotton selected throughout the cotton 
belt were tested to determine their relative spinning values. 

All the grades were subjected to the same mechanical conditions. 
These conditions were the same as those used on earlier tests of the 
Official Cotton Standards of the United States for Upland white 
cotton. 

The percentages of visible waste made by the different grades were 
as follows: 



Grade. 


White. 


Yellow 
Tinged. 


Yellow 
Stained. 


Blue. 
Stained. 


Good Middling 


Per cent. 


Per cent. 
7.04 
8.21 
11.99 


Per cent. 
6.85 
10. 75 


Per cent. 
7.24 


Middling 




10.24 


Low Middling 


8.23 











From the percentages of visible waste it appears that the waste 
follows the grade of the cotton. 

The Middling Yellow Stained and Low Middling Yellow Tinged 
gave off considerable fly. These grades were followed in order by 
Good Middling Yellow Stained, Middling Blue Stained, and Mid- 
dling Yellow Tinged. The remaining three grades gave off the 
usual amount of fly. 

The breaking strengths in pounds per skein of 120 yards of 22's 
yarn (4.50 X a/22) spun from the different grades were as follows: 



Grade. 


White. 


Yellow 
Tinged. 


Yellow 
Stained. 


Blue 
Stained. 


Good Ikliddling 


Pounds. 


Pounds. 

85.7 
88.5 
81.2 


Pounds. 
87.2 
82.9 


Pounds. 
76 6 


Middling 




79.5 


Low Middling 


81.3 











These results show that the highest grade did not always give the 
strongest yarn. 

The bleaching and dyeing tests show that Low Middling, Good 
Middling Yellow Tinged, Good Middling Yellow Stained, and Mid- 
dling Yellow Stained can be bleached satisfactorily for white yarns. 
The Middling Yellow Tinged and Low Middling Yellow Tinged 
when bleached can be used for dyeing both light and dark shades. 



LIBRARY ui- '-'-"^r'.^j;,]:,^,, 
12 BULLETI^^ 990, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF A( Q 018 455 290 5 

The Good Middling Blue Stained and Middling Blue Stained can 
be bleached satisfactorily for dyeing dark shades only. 

The single-strand tests show that the bleaching and dyeing proc- 
esses do not materially affect the strength of the yarn, as shown by 
the average of all tests : Gray, 10.73 ounces ; bleached, 11.05 ounces ; 
pink, 10.83 ounces ; blue, 10.60 ounces. 



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